Baby Boomer Greatness, Family, Uncategorized

I Want To Be Like Mike

He was not only my hero, but he was also everyone’s knight in shining armor, I kid you not. Whenever anyone needed anything, he was always there to lend a hand – two hands – two very strong hands that belonged to the strongest person we knew, both physically strong and mentally strong. He was a man of great character, of few words (unless he was telling a funny story). He was loved by all who knew him.

A Quora user asked this question: “Who is the most badass person you have ever known?” I answered the question with a little story about my Mike that has gotten over 350,000 views and is approaching 12,000 upvotes since I posted the answer a few months ago. It is a story about a man whose life should be honored and not forgotten.

There was an old Gatorade commercial with Michael Jordan on it and a kid that says, “I want to be like Mike.” My readers say it should have been this Mike that the kid wanted to be like and include in their comment, “I want to be like Mike”. This is my way of honoring the goodness of Mike’s life. I too, want to be like Mike.

Who is the most badass person you’ve ever met or known?

The gentleman pictured, my ex, Mike is the person that I, and everyone who knew him would agree was the most badass who ever walked the earth (besides Jesus). He was a quiet man, rarely said a word, but when he did it was usually making people smile or laugh. He did anything for anyone when he saw a need, without asking for anything in return.

He was the strongest man we knew. He built, and re-built a koi pond for our friend, he moved two 600 pound boulders by himself without complaint. He helped me take care of my kids, me, and even my mother when she was dying.

The Koi Pond and Waterfall Mike Built (several times) For Our Friend

(this is the koi pond, you can see the size of the boulders Mike moved – on the right, they are partially submerged in the pond water)

He stepped up when things were bad to make things good. He was a gentle giant – not tall at all, but he seemed like the tallest man we knew because of his character and his strength.

When a friend had a party, he was the first one there to help set it up and the last one to leave, until things were cleaned up.

When someone called him for help, he didn’t hesitate to be there and do whatever it took to help that person.

He was a knight in shining armor to many of us. He was the type who would defend the weak -like stop a bully from picking on them. There was a person in our town who was picking on people that were weaker than himself, even a man in a wheel chair. When Mike got wind of this, he rode his bike to the bar where this guy was drinking and partying. Mike actually rode his bike into the bar, walked up to the bully who was a good foot taller than he, and knocked him out with one punch. The crowd in the bar cheered, and Mike rode off leaving the bully laying on the ground to think about the way he was treating people.

Another incident that Mike never told me, but the girl he rescued did. She said she was being attacked by a gang of young men who were raping and about to kill her. Mike happened upon this and immediately, without hesitation, dropped the would-be murderers to the ground with one blow each. After three of the young men were knocked out, the rest ran off, and the girl’s life was saved.

Mike was my hero. When we met, he told me he had “nothing to offer” me. I begged to differ. He had no home, no car, and no steady income, but he had more to offer than most men I’ve met who have all those things. He had good character. He was honorable, he had integrity, and he truly thought of others before himself.

This is just a small sampling of Mike’s life, there’s so much more to him than just the few things I’ve written here. There will never be enough time to tell you everything about him to make you fully understand the “badass” man that he was.

He passed away Dec. 26. The forensics toxicology report shows that someone poisoned him with arsenic, lithium, and a pesticide. He was the strongest man I knew- physically, and that of character, and all it took to take him down was one bitch who was afraid he’d expose her plans take over our friend’s estate. She’s a very bad person, obviously, and she’s still out there somewhere, enjoying her life, and my Mike is gone forever.

He lives on in my heart, and his ways still influence mine today. As much as I try, I’ll never be like him, I don’t know anyone who could be.

Updated January 30: Some of you asked if this really happened. To show you that I did not make this shit up, here’s a photo of Mike on his birthday February 7, his last one before he passed away on December 26. Pictured with his is his nephew, one of the few people who was a able to visit him in the hospital. Most of his friends didn’t have the stomach to see him like this:

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About the Author

That’s me.

Cynthia June

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Technology

Updated: Classrooms With WiFi: Extreme Danger For Children

UPDATE: Since posting this article on December 23, 2018, I’ve done more research on the subject of RFs (radio frequencies) and discovered that most of the information that the FCC has about dangers of RFs is outdated by at least ten years. Finding out that even the FCC – who one would think is on our side, protecting us from harm – isn’t up to date about the dangers and this alarms me because it is not very apparent to just anyone who is checking up on this. I had to pour through pages of documentation and found most of the relatively recent data collected and published for public viewing can only be found on sites in other countries, Great Britan to be exact. Not only that, but most of the data that the FCC has on their website was collected as cell phones were just becoming common, not yet found in every household, and not yet in the hands of most young people and children.

If you’re a Baby Boomer, you certainly recall the simplicity of our classrooms in elementary, junior high (now called middle school for some reason), and high school. We used number 2 pencils to take tests on strips of question + answer papers where we had to fill in a bubble with said pencil, and if our pencils weren’t the required #2 variety, our answers would not be accurately recorded and we’d fail the test.

Today’s technology in this digital age, goes far beyond that which we were used to in schools, obviously. What’s not so obvious are the dangers that are bombarding our children with invisible, silent microwaves at levels much, much higher than other countries allow, tens of thousands times higher than the readings that come from a laptop using WiFi which, by the way, emit levels of RFs that break DNA – more specifically, “sperm DNA fragmentation and viability”. It’s no coincidence that the United States reports the lowest birth rates in over 30 (almost 40) years. There’s a very good reason that maternity clothing in China automatically comes with a protective shield women in China See this here

(clicking on that link and any other in this post will open a new window and take you to a clip on YouTube)

Most children sit in a classroom for about six hours a day. That’s six hours of being hit with microwaves & radiation in high levels According to Dr. Madga Havas, “we are exposing children to microwave radiation for six hours each day while they are in school…” Another doctor tries to warn us that we are damaging ourselves with the gadgets that we have come to love so much (i.e. cell phones, etc.) and yet another says that microwave radiation is a perfect weapon for a government to use against its people See this here

All of that sounds pretty radical, like I’m crazy and a conspiracy theorist, but trust me, I am neither of those.

What I am is a caring, compassionate person who doesn’t have long to live and wants to try to help as many people as possible before I cannot help at all anymore.

If you watched the excerpts from Ms. Ashlie’s videos on YouTube, please take time to watch her entire video (and others on her channel) and share them with your friends and family – with anyone and everyone you care about, and please comment below and let me know you were here.

Recipes

Fireman’s Pie Crust

Dad worked out of Station 109s LAFD, he was on the very first mountain patrol and worked huge brush fires, including a very famous one and the largest in the day, the Bel Aire fire. The Bel Air fire burned homes and brush, and was recorded on a show called “Disasters” in the 1960s which showed my Dad silhouetted on his tractor with fire burning in the background. We didn’t see this show until after my Dad died in 1971 following injuries he sustained while working fires in the aftermath of the Sylmar earthquake at the end of March that year. I was eleven years old. My big brother was thirteen, my sister was eight and my younger brother was only five years old. Our family was never the same, in spite of all my mom’s efforts to keep things as “normal” as possible. She spent the rest of her life trying to do the impossible. She was an angel on earth, to say the least and now, since October, 29, 2011, she’s an angel in Heaven with my dear Dad and Jesus.

Mom And I on Christmas in 2009 – Together as always

This is how I acquired the recipe: Since Dad’s death in 1971, the fire department and anyone who is on the department have always been very dear to us. Through many years – since 1954 when Dad was appointed fireman for LAFD, Mom saved anything that had to do with the department and its firemen, including the Grapevine magazine. This recipe comes to us from one of the Grapevines that Mom had stashed away because it contained news about a new Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial in Hollywood, California where my dad’s name is written on the wall of the Fallen.

My Dad – My Hero #1 Always and Forever; Never Forgotten

How the recipe ended up in The Fireman’s Grapevine Magazine: A fire captain’s grandmother used to make this pie crust while he, as a young boy, watched and learned. Thank goodness he had the whereto-with to write it down, and even better, share it in one of the Fireman’s Grapevine magazines. Not only is it decadent and delicious, it doesn’t require the time consuming rolling out of the dough into a perfect 9″ circle… it can be made very quickly using only a pie plate and two (clean) hands which is very convenient – especially in case of a fire bell or other such pressing issue at hand. Enjoy!

Fireman’s Pie Crust Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. flour
3 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients in 8″ or 9″ pie plate. Mix well using hands. Pat into shape to form crust inside pan – flute edges if desired. If needing a baked crust, line the crust with doubled aluminum foil, bake at 425 for about ten minutes.

a fireman's secret to the best tasting pie crust ever — Just use your hands and mix it up right in the pie plate

Best ever, easiest pie crust recipe — Kids can help you with this

Recipes

Marie Calender’s Potato Cheese Soup

It’s thick, cheesy, and decadent if you’re on a restricted diet, yet it’s one of our favorite menu items at Marie Calender’s Restaurants. Because my wallet is on a restricted diet, I tried making my own M.C. potato cheese soup at home. Here’s the results, tried, tested, and according to everyone that I’ve served it to, this recipe comes pretty darn close to the one we have loved for over thirty years in Marie’s restaurants.

This recipe serves 4 and can easily be doubled.

My version of Marie Calender's Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients List:

1 medium white onion chopped into 1/2″ chunks
2-3 Tbsp olive oil (or Canola oil)
Instant mashed potatoes (one 4 servings pouch or 1 cup of boxed)
4 oz shredded medium cheddar cheese (mild is okay too)
1 tsp quality onion powder
1 Cup whole milk
1 Cup very hot water
2 Tbsp butter (optional)
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Generously cover the bottom of a medium-sized heavy sauce pan with the olive oil.
Over very low heat, gently cook onions with 1/2 tsp of the salt until they become soft and nearly clear (see photo below) Stir the onions often making sure they don’t brown and caramelize.
Add hot water and onion powder, turn heat to med-high and bring to boil.
Remove sauce pan from heat, add potatoes slowly, stirring in about 1/4 cup at a time. When all potatoes are thoroughly mixed in, add 1/2 cup of cold milk and stir until blended. (Mixture will be very thick)
Return sauce pan to medium heat and add cheese (reserve a bit of shredded cheese to use as a garnish, if desired), stir continuously and the rest of the milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
Add the 1/2 tsp salt and 2 Tbsp butter (if desired), stirring constantly and cooking just until soup comes to a boil, lower heat and gently simmer for at least 20 minutes.
One option is to add a dash (or more) of cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch, or Turmeric to taste for persons who are battling cancer.
Serves 4; garnish with cheese, paprika, parsley, or croûtons.

Sautéed onions — Onions sautéed just until they are soft, barely starting to become clear.

The soup can be eaten right after adding the butter in step 6, but it’s much better if it cooks a bit longer because the potatoes and cheese will become creamy and the flavors will meld together beautifully.

Please let me know you were here and leave a comment below, thanks.

Recipes

Recipe: Broccoli Rice Quiche

Christmastime favorite, but delicious anytime of year

This is my favorite, inexpensive, and easy recipe to make when I have company coming to visit, or to make ahead for Christmas Eve luncheon. It is complimented with either a dollop of sour cream and salsa on the side, or even better, smothered in “Perfect Every Time Hollandaise Sauce”.

1 1/2 C hot cooked rice
10 – 12 oz frozen chopped broccoli florets, cooked
3 eggs
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese (or more, if you prefer)
1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp. whole milk
salt, pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine rice, one slightly beaten egg, and 1/2 of the cheese, (salt and pepper) and press into the bottom of a greased deep dish pie plate. (Pie plate doesn’t have to be a deep dish, but it is preferable).
When broccoli is cooled slightly, combine it with 2 eggs (slightly beaten), the mushrooms, and milk (salt and pepper).
Pour over the rice layer and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until middle is firm and edges are slightly browned.
Top with the remaining grated cheese, return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble.
Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.
Complement with sides of sour cream and your favorite salsa, or smother it in a velvety layer of “Perfect Every Time Hollandaise Sauce”. Either way is scrumptious.

Recipes

Perfect Hollandaise Sauce

This is the best and simplest way to make a rich, velvety hollandaise sauce, just as good or better than most restaurants serve. This recipe comes to us from Pat Jester’s 1988 Microwave Cookbook. Try it over Broccoli Rice Quiche, or Eggs Benedict.

Always Perfect Hollandaise Sauce Recipe Yield: 1 Cup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 egg yolks
dash white pepper
1/2 C butter, cut up
1/4 tsp. dried leaf tarragon (optional)
1/4 tsp. zest of lemon (grated)

Follow directions closely for perfect hollandaise sauce every time:

Place glass measuring cup in a hot water bath

Using a blender, combine egg yolks, pepper, and lemon juice at low speed until frothy.
In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, melt and heat butter in a microwave set on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until butter is melted.
With blender on HIGH speed, slowly pour in the melted hot butter, blending constantly, until the mixture is very thick.
Stir in the tarragon and lemon peel zest.
Pour mixture into same glass measuring cup; set in a bowl of hot water. The water should be at the same level as the sauce.
Microwave at 30% (MEDIUM LOW) for a total of 5 minutes, stopping to stir every 2 minutes. Stir before serving.
Refrigerate leftover sauce and reheat using the directions below to ensure a perfect sauce again:

To reheat leftover hollandaise sauce:

Place sauce in glass measuring cup and a bath of hot water as directed in original recipe. Microwave at 70% power (MEDIUM HIGH) for 4 – 5 minutes, stopping to stir 3 times in even intervals.
HP Books MICROWAVE COOKING The Complete Guide by Pat Jester